AMD FX-8150 Black Edition CPU Water Cooler Review

Installing the AMD water cooler

As cooler boxed with an AMD processor should be the kit is completely void of any parts to mount to an Intel socket. What you do get is the hardware needed to mount the cooler. What I like about the system is that it utilizes the stock backing plate.

To get started you need to get the upper mounting ring and put in the hold down screw retainer brackets.

The included instructions are a little fuzzy on this part, but the retainers are a two piece system that clips to the upper bracket. These can be put together wrong, but they are not difficult to take back apart to fix.

Then you insert the mounting studs. Once clicked into place the mounting stud is held in place but turns freely. Again this can be taken back apart, but care needs to be taken not to break the tabs on the retainer parts.

With the upper mount assembled the motherboard has to be prepared.

Now, you slip the upper ring onto the pump housing, making sure the fingers on the ring set into the lugs on the pump housing.

Then you install the lower mounting ring.

Now the whole assembly onto the socket and tighten everything down. You do have to remove the stock cooler mounting brackets. This step is also left off the instructions. Not so much a big deal to users who have built systems, but a first timer may be phoning a friend or hitting the support line just to make sure.

Then mount the radiator. Per the instructions the fans are to be set as intake fans so they pull air from the outside into the case.